Tresor (album)

Tresor
A woman in a red dress lying on top of and caressing a large green mound
Studio album by
Gwenno
Released1 July 2022
StudioGwenno's home studio, Cardiff[1]
GenrePsychedelic pop, baroque pop[2][3]
Length43:06
Language
LabelHeavenly
ProducerRhys Edwards, Gwenno Saunders
Gwenno chronology
Le Kov
(2018) 		Tresor
(2022)
Singles from Tresor
  1. "An Stevel Nowydh"
    Released: 28 February 2022
  2. "Men An Toll"
    Released: 7 April 2022
  3. "Tresor"
    Released: 11 May 2022
  4. "Anima"
    Released: 14 June 2022
  5. "N.Y.C.A.W."
    Released: 4 July 2022

Tresor is the third solo studio album by Welsh singer Gwenno, released on 1 July 2022 by Heavenly Recordings.[4] Like Gwenno's previous work, this album's lyrics are almost entirely in Cornish with one song, "N.Y.C.A.W." (which stands for "Nid yw Cymru ar Werth", meaning "Wales is not for Sale"), in Welsh. The album's name comes from the Cornish word for "treasure".[5] The album was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize.[6]

Singles and film

[edit]

Lead single "An Stevel Nowydh" was released 28 February 2022,[1] followed by "Men An Toll" on 7 April,[7] "Tresor" on 11 May,[8] "Anima" on 14 June,[9] and "N.Y.C.A.W." on 4 July.[10]

Each single came with a music video which are part of a longer film created by Gwenno in collaboration with Anglesey-born filmmaker Clare Marie Bailey, set for release some time in the summer of 2022. The film was shot on Super 8 in Bryn Celli Ddu, Mynydd Parys, and Porth Ia (St Ives) during Summer 2021, was edited by Joan Pope, and stars Eddie Ladd as Greddf (a Welsh word meaning "instinct").[1]

Style and reception

[edit]
Tresor ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[11]
Metacritic84/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
Clash7/10[2]
The Guardian[3]
The Irish Times[5]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[14]
MusicOMH[4]
Pitchfork7.3/10[15]
The Skinny[16]
Uncut[17]

AllMusic's Tim Sendra called the album "a slight change of pace, scaling back the arrangements and focusing her songwriting to a fine point", replacing her previous releases' "gossamer-light, dream-like", and "joyful" sound with "a dark cloud partially eclipsing the brightness as Gwenno sings with real emotion about the struggles of motherhood and its place in the larger culture." The album's "more direct vocal approach", "the quiet, clipped nature of the drums, the ghostly electronic haze that floats around in the background, and the unhurried tempos make Tresor a more human-sized album that takes a little sitting with to fully appreciate", but ultimately the album "goes one step further to cementing [Gwenno] in the experimental pop firmament."[13] Clash's Sam Walker-Smart says "Except for two electronic led numbers that become more of a slog than a celebration, Gwenno has once again married the otherworldly with the primal with supreme effect."[2]

The Guardian's Neil Spencer calls the album's lyrics "occasionally confrontational" but "predominantly introspective and allusive, drawing on nature ("Kan Me" celebrates the May hawthorn) and on Gwenno's recent entrance into motherhood" and an "ambitious album ... from a unique artist."[3] The Irish Times' Éamon Sweeney notes Gwenno exploring "the impact of motherhood on her psyche", "technological alienation on "Y Dydd Olaf", and "meditations on home and identity on Le Kov (The Place of Memory)" with a "blending of pastoral folk with adventurous ambient electronica" making for a "delightful", "innovative album that isn't afraid to address big ideas through the medium of a marginalised Celtic language."[5]

Year-end lists

[edit]
Tresor year-end lists
Publication # Ref.
BBC Radio 6 Music 10 [18]
Far Out 44 [19]
Mojo 28 [20]
Loud and Quiet 25 [21]
Uncut 18 [22]
Under the Radar 73 [23]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Gwenno Saunders; "An Stevel Nowydh" and "N.Y.C.A.W." written by Saunders and Rhys Edwards

Tresor track listing
No.TitleLength
1."An Stevel Nowydh"4:48
2."Anima"3:18
3."Tresor"4:09
4."N.Y.C.A.W."4:31
5."Men an Toll"1:33
6."Ardamm"7:21
7."Kan Me"4:09
8."Keltek"3:36
9."Tonnow"5:56
10."Porth Ia"3:45
Total length:43:06

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Tresor
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] 49
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[25] 21
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[26] 6

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Ewing, Jerry (28 February 2022). "Gwenno releases trippy video for brand new single "An Stevel Nowydh"". Louder Sound. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Walker-Smart, Sam (30 June 2022). "Gwenno – Tresor". Clash. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Spencer, Neil (3 July 2022). "Gwenno: Tresor review – more alluring Cornish psych-pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b Hogwood, Ben (30 June 2022). "Gwenno – Tresor (Heavenly)". MusicOMH. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Sweeney, Éamon (1 July 2022). "Gwenno: Tresor — An album to treasure from a fascinating artist". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  6. ^ Singh, Surej (26 July 2022). "Mercury Prize 2022 shortlist revealed". NME. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  7. ^ Ewing, Jerry (7 April 2022). "Gwenno releases new video for mesmeric new single "Men An Toll"". Louder Sound. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  8. ^ Redfern, Mark (11 May 2022). "Gwenno Shares Self-Directed Video for New Song "Tresor"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  9. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (14 June 2022). "Gwenno previews new album with fourth outing "Anima"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Gwenno shares video for new Tresor single "N.Y.C.A.W."". Live4ever. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Tresor by Gwenno reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Tresor by Gwenno Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  13. ^ a b Sendra, Tim. "Gwenno – Tresor". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  14. ^ Oinonen, Janne (1 July 2022). "Gwenno's third album Tresor is a heady, deeply rewarding treasure". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  15. ^ Thomas, Peyton (14 July 2022). "Gwenno: Tresor Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  16. ^ Drever, Ryan (30 June 2022). "Gwenno album review: Tresor". The Skinny. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  17. ^ Mackay, Emily (8 July 2022). "Gwenno – Tresor". Uncut. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  18. ^ "6 Music's Albums of the Year 2022". BBC Radio 6 Music. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  19. ^ "The 50 best albums of 2022". Far Out. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  20. ^ Pearis, Bill (15 November 2022). "Mojo's Top 75 Albums of 2022". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Loud and Quiet Albums of the Year 2022". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Uncut's Top 75 Albums of 2022". Uncut. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2022". Under the Radar. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  26. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
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